Falcon
by An Insignificant Life
Summary: There was only one person she never wanted to forgive. There was only one girl he always wanted to love. Family fluff.


p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Ocean waves crashed as a girl placed down the last barrel of beer on the sandy beach. A black mask shaped as a bird's head fully covered her face, black and white feathers reminiscent of a peregrine falcon's covering her hair and back. A loosely fitted butler's suit covered her body, hiding all skin and traces of her individual. She bowed to the clients,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Thank you for the business, Shanks-sama."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Iya, iya," The redhead laughed as he lovingly glomped the barrels, "It was good business for us too~! Ne, ne, call me Shanks! '-sama' sounds too stuffy! And hey, what gives? You're a kid too! Come on, raise your head~ You should be running around and about instead of doing such boring work."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm afraid that I can not fulfill those requests. Everything short of the utmost courtesy would only shame Master. If that will be all…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Jya, thanks~" Shanks pouted at the butler, though it was to be expected with the royal owning this particular island in the New World. The King was famous for his wine collection and tolerance for pirate buyers, willing to sell to anyone as well having quite the army to defend his goods. Actually, the whole kingdom could be said to be his army with how all of them were just so obedient to him, all residents on the island wearing butler suits and masks. It was sad to see, but it wasn't like the King mistreated his men besides being a spoiled, greedy man. It just… wasn't any of their business./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Plus, the King had good booze and the island was considered neutral ground among all pirates. One attack would be an attack on all booze-loving people — which was literally the world compared to the World Government. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He frowned… before yanking the girl and pulling her head up with a hand — he grinned at her quick reflexes to dodge, but he wasn't the Yonkou for nothing if a little girl of nine could dodge him, "Warui, warui, but I'm just curious what your pretty little face looks like~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She smacked his hand away just as he saw and stared intensely at those raptor like gold pupils. He only ever saw one pair of eyes like that… The girl glared, but bowed with practiced moves,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""It is time for me to leave. Master is calling."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He heard nothing, but had no time to say such as she left with a cool, but quick stride away./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No. Talking. To. Others!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She hacked blood with each powerful kick as King punished her. Always, he seemed to be more observant and wary about her actions more than anyone else's. Always, she was within his vicinity. And always, she was his. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The crazed man pulled her face to his with rougher fingers than the pirate. His eyes gleamed possessively as he took off the mask to see the childish but sharp facial features — the golden eyes that he loved. She was the treasure he was most proud to own — she who looked and fought like Mihawk./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You're mine. Forever and ever and ever. You'll always forever be mine."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She glared at the sword — she abhorred it just as much as she loved it. It was her mother's and now her only possession since the King took her in. She hated how she sullied it since then, forced to by the man with loud laughter./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I hate you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Her father was the reason why her mother died. Her father was the reason why their home was ransacked. Her father was the reason why she was enslaved./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I don't have a father."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Never. She only had a gentle, beautiful mother who cared for her alone for six years and that was all. No matter what. That man left and was never in her life so he forever will stay out./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""So you really did have eyes like mine's."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"His voice was frightfully enchanting like a demon's among the flames; she had expected him, but never thought the atmosphere to be so ephemerally contradicting. She hated how her heart thumped at his arrival at the same time she cursed his existence. She hated how cold yet warm the world felt; how similar their indifferent voices were despite feeling raw emotions never felt before. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I do not." She said after a while, hating how she had to hesitate despite resolving that years ago. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Do not lie, little Falcon." His golden eyes gleamed with superhuman perception. She felt caught in his gaze, but glared at him the same to warn him to not approach. Her body betrayed her with a flinch though at her name, which she could not deny for it was given to her by her mother,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""How do you know my name?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Is it not obvious?" The swordsman questioned as he took a step forward. She took a step back to keep equivalent distance as before. Behind her was a window, which she could escape for and take to the seas. He could sense her hostility yet he could also sense the answer that she already knew./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No." Her little hand reached up to pull down the mask to fit her face securely; feathers hiding long black locks that spiked back like his. The resemblance would be too uncannily similar to deny. He knew it as well as he continued to examine her, speaking up,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I saw you fight."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Her body tensed. She never sensed him, but then again he was the world's greatest swordsman. He was way beyond her level. She was a mere soldier and servant./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""And I saw you without your mask."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"That could explain the flames as the mansion burned and… no one was screaming for help or to run. That could explain why Master still hadn't come./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""That means nothing. You may have saw another."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"His lips curled in what could only be amusement, "I have never lost my prey, little Falcon. I follow who I want to."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Stalker."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm merely being a f—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Don't say that word!" She finally snapped with a snarl, "I don't have one and I never will. I don't know what you're hoping to accomplish, but all you are is a mad man burning down the house of a royal. A pirate and a stranger."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Finally, those eyes lost their sharpness, softening at her words. His words still held a steel tone to them however, "You can not change what can not be changed. You have a father and his blood runs through yours. /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"My /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"blood."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I don't care. You can not change that you had left Haku nine years ago either. She died because of you." All accusations for herself spoke loudly in silence. "If people can adopt people, then people can disown people as well."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Then I will adopt you once again," When she opened her mouth to protest, he walked closer, paying no mind to anything but her, "Again and again. No matter how many times. I apologize for my absence and that will certainly never change. However, there is still a future and I will own up to my mistakes."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"It took a lot for the proud swordsman to say, but it was nothing to him. Everything seemed to come to an ease to him. She almost considered his open hand however the sword held by the sash around her waist reminded her of her conviction. Untying it, she tossed it to the swordsman. He smoothly caught it with an arched brow, but instantly recognized the sword once he looked at it,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Haku's sword. Shodai Kitetsu…" He seemed to remember its history and reputation as he softly asked, "How did she die?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""The worst possible way." She answered back, leaning against the window. During his examination of the familiar sword, she had moved backwards to the only exit. "Which I hope will be how you die as well."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Wait—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"But she let herself fall backwards out of the six story building, running away immediately after hitting the ground. Mihawk clenched the Meito-grade cursed sword tightly before too disappearing. He didn't regret doing something so uncharacteristic as to burn the mansion. If they killed Haku and tortured his child, then they deserved it all the way. In a way, he deserved this too. But… /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I won't let you go, Kon."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Her mother's name was Hakuchou. She was a kind woman with a big heart that accepted all, even Shodai Kitetsu, even Mihawk. She was cheerful as well, telling her many stories as a child. Falcon could still remember all of them. Even how she met Mihawk, even how she got her name./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Bird names seemed to run in the family. Hakuchou was the Wa no Kuni's name for eagles. Mihawk was the Hawk. They decided she was to be named after the Falcon. Her nickname would be Fal if she was a boy, Kon if she was a girl./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Despite Mihawk never appearing at the time of childbirth and after, Haku accepted it as natural and still loved him. Even upon death, she never betrayed him — killing herself, cutting herself to little pieces before they could rape her. It was really her own fault that Haku lost. She just had to be weak. She just had to have been caught. She just had to have looked like Mihawk./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Still, she couldn't help but blame Mihawk as the cause of it all. If he hadn't arrived, then she wouldn't have been born, but at least Haku could have lived a normal, happy life. It was all him and his irresponsibility./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"("No matter what, don't hate your father, kay, Kon? We're his only family and he lives a very very lonely life. It's our duty to always make sure he has a home to come back to. Even… no, especially the strongest always get tired.")/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Kon gritted her teeth; tears long held in finally falling as she could openly grieve for her mother without the Master watching over her. Why? Why did she have to be so nice? Why did she have to die? If Mihawk was lonely (which she highly doubted), then he should just die a lonely death by himself./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"There were no more blades on her except a little dagger fit for a thief surviving off the wilderness. She never wanted to touch a sword again though. Swords were Mihawk's weapons. She wanted nothing to do with him — and frankly, she got tired of the past where Master made her learn the sword as well. She wasn't Mihawk or his child!/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You were right."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Really?!" Shanks shouted in amazement; the drink in his hand sloshed with his sudden lean forward towards his fellow swordsman. Mihawk nodded and kept silent. Benn noticed his unusually too impassive face,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What's wrong? You found your family."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The swordsman only needed to hold out the cursed sword for the other two to understand. They knew Haku and knew that she wouldn't lose to a curse, but if he had it, then… she had died. In few words, he explained with bitter mirth, "She hates me."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Well…" Shanks awkwardly fidgeted as he took another swig of beer, "That's to be expected." At the glare, he quickly added, "I mean, you haven't been in all her life until now. Her mother's dead. She was caught…" All of them saw the newspaper of the island burned. That wasn't like Mihawk at all — the swordsman preferring to use his sword for everything. Whatever that king did was brutal. "And you suddenly come back wanting to be her father all of a sudden."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I understand already." But that didn't help the situation. Shanks sighed,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""All kids seem to hate their fathers nowadays. Ace hates Roger. Yours hates you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Hmm… If Luffy hated his father, then I'd say there's a trend." Benn rubbed his chin. Both swordsmen gazed up at him in question. The first mate smirked, "All those children met you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk's glare intensified while Shanks squawked in protest, "I'm innocent!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Kon stared at the rifle she was holding. She enlisted for the marines and already advanced to Petty Officer with the high score she got on the entrance exams. As a Petty Officer, she was allowed to wear anything she wanted unlike those below her who wore those hats and sailor outfits. She kept her mask, having grown used to it over the years and to hide her facial appearance. Below that, she wore a white dress shirt (with sleeves rolled up) and black dress pants, replacing the butler outfit she had too adapted to after three years. One thing had changed about her — the dark sunglasses that she now wore to hide her eyes that seemed to attract everyone's attention./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""A gun, huh… How un-Mihawk-like… I like it." She smiled as she felt the cool smooth metal of the barrel. She could use it as a club if she ran out of ammo too. It really was a nice weapon./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The best part about being a marine was blending with the crowds of the do-gooders and being on the opposite side of Mihawk./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Ah—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She was about to loudly shout, but the rough hand covered her mouth, dragging her within an empty room in the blink of an eye. Glaring, she pulled it off to growl at the golden-eyed swordsman./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Mihawk!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Call me father."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No!" She really shouted, uncaring of anyone who might hear. The rooms weren't exactly soundproof after all. Seeing his lips only curl, she calmed herself down with a deep breath, hatred still coloring her tone, "What are you doing here?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Watching over my daughter of course."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You're a pi—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I accepted the Shichibukai position." Mihawk smirked as he remembered all of the marine higher ups' open gapes. It was amusing to even he — especially when he knew the personalities of the Gorosei and Sengoku. They all thought that he was going to refuse it for the hundredth time — they always sent one to him at least thrice every year since he became the World's Greatest Swordsman. They still had two positions open as well./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I believe I have already stated my reason for doing so."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""That's not a reason! You're not my—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Jya, fine, but you'll always be my daughter."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Grrr…" She growled before looking down; bangs fell, shadowing her eyes, "Don't expect anything because I won't do anything for you. Just leave! Why do you care so much?! You're only going to hur—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"His hand grabbed hers as he asked seriously, "You're worried about me?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Once more, she growled as she jerked it away to open the door behind her, "I don't! And I never will!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"But he had already seen her eyes. Though they were filled with murky dark thoughts, he saw more to her than hate. He laughed as he leaned against a wall. Mihawk was prepared to love her even if she would never reciprocate a single feeling back. She was his only tie — and she was /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"her /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"daughter just as well as his. But… /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You're only making it harder for yourself, Kon. I… I really do not want to let you go."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"And so, Mihawk became a Shichibukai. She became a Captain. None was all the wiser./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Idiot!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The swordsman yelled as he saw her bloody body wash upon the shore. He didn't even have time to muse about how fate seemed to be landing them together as he quickly carried her inland to his castle on Kuraigana Island. He had just been walking to his home for rest when he heard the human-imitating apes clashing with someone. Curious, he walked to the scene only to see her collapse at the hairy hand of one of the baboons. Years, he had tolerated the monkeys. That day, he slaughtered that specific one to bits out of pure uncontrollable rage./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Those weren't just injuries from the monkeys though. They were bullet holes long soaked up with seawater and depleted of blood./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What am I going to do with you…" He growled at the troublesome girl, already taking off her clothes to apply first aid. Being an one-man crew, he knew his medical share and he was grateful for it when he heard her breathe again./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You'll be the death of me one day."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He had no doubt about it with how often she got in trouble or how much she hated him. Shanks was right; he couldn't blame her, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Shodai Kitetsu's weight dug into his back; the blade reminding him of his curse. It wasn't death, but worse. The curse of losing those that he loved. A curse that tortured him everyday…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Kon. Wake up already…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The girl woke up to see dimmed lights and the swordsman watching intensely off to the side. Her face immediately narrowed,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What are you doing here, Mihawk?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Call me father." He repeated with amusement at the childish glare he received. It seemed to be a routine, though this time… "And that should be my question. This is my home." After a pause, he corrected, "Our home."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Your home." She corrected again with a snarl before coughing blood once trying to get up. Mihawk immediately pushed her down firmly,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""It's only been a day. Go back to sleep."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Can't. Not in your house."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk's eyes narrowed, but he ignored the ache in his soul as he held her arms down and used the weight of his leg to stop her struggling own. "You're not fully healed yet. It's already admirable that you could wake up when it would take a normal man a week with those wounds."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Well, I'm used to it." She snorted with a drawl. The swordsman was livid at the confirmation of what that royal had done to his daughter. She yelped with he roughly pushed up her shirt to see bandages and many old scars,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""So that's what those are?" It was rhetorical question and Kon knew as she quietly backed down from the furious man, hiding her flinch as his grip grew unbearably tighter. For once his perceptive eyes didn't notice as he focused on the stories of the pain his daughter had suffered for perhaps years. She didn't care as she would never admit that she had cowered down and submitted. Her voice was a quiet mumble,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""They're nothing. He just wanted them to scar. He was… a bit obsessed with me."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The grip tightened at the sole thought that a man had saw his daughter and marked her all over with lingering reminders of his reign. She had reason to blame him. Had she been of ordinary origin, she probably would have lived a normal life. Her looks however leaned towards his side, causing interest and… horribly immoral thoughts./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Did it hurt?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He couldn't help but ask it. Even if it was the most obvious thing in the world and he was probably the most straightforward person in the world who hated beating around the bush and such stupid questions. And it was so innocent that she couldn't help but truthfully answer,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""At first, it did. And it still did… It… Pain isn't something you can just get used to… until you kill your own humanity… or blame humanity."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"So she hated him. She used him as an object of unbearable hate for years until she no longer felt for her situation imprisoned and tortured daily. Mihawk's eyes shadowed as he tilted his head further down in defeat. It was the first time he felt so defeated… and it was from a fat man who couldn't even hold a sword properly. He bowed in silence and that was his way of grieving. His grip loosened, but she didn't leave. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Kon gently held him in a comforting gesture, moving her arms around his head and then neck, pulling him towards her chest while resting her head on his shoulder. He hugged her back — securely, protectively, lovingly — whispering, "I'm sorry…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"It wasn't enough to make up for her life. It wasn't enough to describe the things he felt. But it was a start and she accepted it like her mother would have done (though more quickly). /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Yeah…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""So what happened?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk asked the second time she woke up. She sighed; she hadn't thought that Mihawk was the type to be nosy. He wasn't. With the exception of her./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I… I had a bad run in with some pirates. Had to protect my crew. They weren't very strong, but I didn't want to lose anyone. I must have fell into the ocean sometime after. A storm came in the battle."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Which meant that she sacrificed herself and fell overboard. Mihawk mentally noted to kill a few pirates within the vicinity./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Don't do something that stupid again.."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What's stupid?" Her eyes narrowed, "Sacrifices? Protecting others?" Her voice steadily grew louder before she huffed and shifted her body so that she couldn't see him. Hopefully, never again. "Why did I even tell you about that? I bet you don't know what it feels like to sacrifice yourself for another given how you live your stupid solitary li—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Not anymore." She looked up to see Mihawk's eyes as he stared at her, "I don't want to lose you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Silence filled her again before she glanced off to the side, unable to look at his face while she murmured, "Well, you already did."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Unknown to her, he smiled solemnly yet knowingly. Though people called him emotionless, it didn't mean that he couldn't perceive emotion. She really was like her mother. And so there was hope as he declared,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Then I'll just have to find you again. I'll search the seven seas to grab you and never let go. So no matter what you do, no matter how many people you may kill, no matter how many people you may save… never die, Falcon."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"There was an uncommitted grunt, but he knew there was a committed echo in the air./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk was surprised and happy when he saw her cooking dinner. He chuckled when she refused to look at him, only excusing her actions as thanks for saving her. She looked a lot like him with black hair naturally spiking back like his and golden raptor-like eyes. Even had the same facial structure except hers was more feminine and soft like her mother's. Her hair was long, going halfway down her back (the mask's feathers were longer). She was his beautiful angel — nine, but already better than everything in the world that he had saw and ever will./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Two days later, her injuries were halfway done with fully healing. Mihawk was a bit disappointed that the injuries were almost done, but he was proud that she recovered faster than a normal man who would have taken a month./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"It was also two days later when she asked for her mask and rifle though. The swordsman hesitated, but gave them back. He wanted to see her face more, but he didn't want to alienate her further. She placed it on, looking like a masquerade bird again and fixing those sunglasses in place. She twirled the rifle, stopping in an aim at the fireplace before nodding./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You're better with a sword." Mihawk commented honestly and as a father swordsman. She scowled,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I just started. Just watch. One day, I'll become a famous gun woman."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Just use the sword." Mihawk said in amusement at her childish antics. He was sure that she was avoiding the sword for the same reason as she was wearing that mask. To not be like him — which after getting used to was quite endearingly cute./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No." She replied stubbornly, looking away… before seeing the sword next to Kokuto Yoru. "You really carry that cursed thing?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She didn't believe in curses until her mother died. It was long and drawn out and she believed that Kitetsu would never work… until it did. Then again… it was a good honorable death. Better than what Master had in mind for her mother. She really couldn't blame Kitetsu. He gave Dracule Hakuchou peace./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Of course. It was Haku's… and now it's yours."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You're giving your daughter a cursed sword?" She asked wryly. He nodded,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I believe in my daughter to overcome the curse and master the sword." He gazed at her, "Take it, Falcon."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I s—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Your mother wanted to give it to you for the same reasons. You don't have to use it, but keep it. Honor her wish and cherish her memory."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""..." She hesitated but grabbed it gently, cradling it fondly in memory, "Only for mother though." She added. He chuckled, having heard the pause. There was a word Shanks told him… Tsundere./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""That's fine with me. However, if you're using a cursed sword, then you'll need to know more than the basic skills of swordfighting."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I don't—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You don't want to lose your comrades, right? You'd sooner hurt someone with a careless blade. The world's greatest swordsman is offering an apprenticeship. Use it to prevail and protect others."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She paused again before growling, muttering about people with the way of words. He grinned as he listened with sharp ears, especially as she loudly commented,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""World's greatest swordsman, huh? Modest, aren't you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""It's only the truth."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Kon had no problem attacking him with Shodai Kitetsu./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"A month later and Mihawk watched as she departed the island with only a fleeting glance back. He sighed, the place becoming darker and colder than before. Never once had he felt so… lonely./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"No… it was a feeling of the first. He wanted to be independent and alone, choosing solitude. He never felt loneliness before until now./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"And he finally understood what was so bad about it./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He missed his daughter./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Oh, oh, oh, look at all the feathers~!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Doflamingo shouted as he walked around the little girl of eleven with examining eyes of fascination and wonder. He never seen a person who wore as many feathers on them. The girl seemed to be alright with his presence (unlike many of the pirate-discriminating, justice-obsessed, Shichibukai-fearing marines he could name) as she observed calmly and cooly,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You too, Donquixote Doflamingo."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""And you know my name too!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I would be ashamed of myself if I didn't know a pirate with a bounty and a name constantly in the news."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Fufufu, no words truer~" Doflamingo proudly agreed, loving his name being spread around the seas. A person should be ashamed if they didn't know him! He finally stopped in front of her, spreading his arms out flamboyantly, "I like you! Join my crew!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Your eyes must be poor if you haven't noticed my allegiance." No matter how temporary it was. She originally joined to avoid Mihawk. That purpose failed once said swordsman became a Shichibukai. No longer did she have any ties to the place… but she found no reason to leave yet so she continued. Now, she wore a Justice coat over her casual dress attire (suit without the jacket) as a Commodore. And she had no reason to join a pirate whose motivations were under scrutiny./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Like I care," Doflamingo laughed amiably, waving his hand in dismissal at her obvious position and at the wary glances of both her subordinates and the other marines in the hallway. Aokiji being one of them as he eyed them with seemingly lazy and uncaring eyes. "Then, do I at least get a name from the one refusing me?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...Falcon. Kon is my preferred name however."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Kon… Fufufufu I like it! Never lose the feathers, kid~" He lowered himself to stare face to face with the black beak of her mask though; only a single inch separated them apart. Sunglasses shielded both of their eyes though they could still see the fine details with the close proximity. Doflamingo hummed at the beautifully fierce eyes that hid behind hers, "Though I wouldn't mind seeing you without that mask~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She didn't even dignified that with a response as she asked, "Is that all or will you keep blocking the hallway?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Fuhahahaha!" He loudly laughed at the kid before stepping away purposefully, "Jya, I hope we see each other again!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""A hope not reciprocated."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Which only him roar louder at the amusing girl./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Commodore! Commodore! The pirates are just right there! Why aren't we attacking them?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The girl merely further ordered another bottle of red wine. The man next to her grinned as he ordered another drink as well. Even he kept quiet for now though as he watched the little squirt with a big coat with amusement. Her voice was as calm as a hurricane's eye, swirling with power but averted for now. She was the embodiment of strength with the guise of peace as she simply gestured for him to sit down as well and ordered a drink for him,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Calm down, Ensign. What do you notice about the back of the man two seats away?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Huh? There's — GAH! It's Whitebeard's mark, Commodore!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The pirates watched the panicking guy in amusement; the bar unconsciously divided in half with pirates on one side and marines on the other. The bartender kept a mildly anxious, but mostly wary eye on all of them. The situation past unprecedented with the higher ups of both crews on the same floor; the other floors containing others who remained silent but still drank as pirates unsure of what to do. The other marines didn't attack for one so the pirates didn't feel anything but a palpable tension./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Exactly. So there's no reason to fight" came her simple explanation, making the pirates relax at her lack of intention to start one and the marine gape in confusion,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why?! Isn't there all the more reason to fight?! It's Whitebeard! We're marines with the duty of—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Upholding justice and peace. Have those pirates specifically done a crime against you?" The Ensign shook his head slowly, making her nod, "And they have done nothing to start a war over now, right?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Right…" The Ensign slowly replied, slowly remembering a tidbit that they had 1600 members and many allies. Starting a fight would be starting a war./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Then, we're upholding justice and peace still." She added after a thought, "And we're fulfilling our duties as humans to live so there's no worries for not attacking them. Just drink and relax, Ensign. You're doing your job correctly."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm not sure about that…" The guy replied sullenly, but chugged the alcoholic drink given to him and moved up to hang out with his friends. Hearing the commodore's unsaid order, all the marines began to party and drink as if there weren't pirates around. The man sitting next to her finally laughed, breaking the silence and unknowingly allowing the pirates to relax to party and drink as well. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Ahahahaha! I like you, brat! My name's Thatch!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Falcon. Kon for short."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You even gave me your name!" Thatch gasped incredulously before loudly complaining, "Why can't all the marines be like you, brat? They're always jerks with sticks up their asses and ears unlistening to words! No offense—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Marco drawled as he sat next to Thatch to prevent the guy from ruining everything and provoking the girl who seemed to be the leader of them all, "That was said with all offense, yoi. He didn't mean it, Fal—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Kon for short." She repeated indifferently to Thatch's insult. Ace grinned as he took the Ensign's former seat, surrounding the girl,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""And I'm Ace! And no really, why—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""They're men with good hearts and good intentions. You can't blame them for not trusting pirates when most join the marines for a reason to begin with — whether it be for righteous obligation, a past, or to protect their families."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...right." Thatch replied after a while, "Can't argue with that. So what brings you to this island?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""The Log Pose." She answered once again as if it were common sense. Marco deadpanned, patting the depressed swordsman on the back. Ace snorted at the lame questions before curiously asking,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What's with the mask? Peregrine falcon?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Ah, yeah." The girl replied, sipping her wine, "I'm impressed. Not many can tell right away." She tipped her mask forward, "A person crafted it especially for me." Though the person was the hateful Master who tormented her for years, she had to admit that it was useful and beautiful, suiting her all the way. It not only hid her bloodline, but also Shodai Kitetsu who was tied to her back under the feathers. Ace whistled as he leaned closer, tracing the elegant lines,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Cool~ Why can't anyone give me anything like that?" He pouted before realizing, "No way! How can you eat and drink with a full mask on?!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The pirates who heard watched as she placed a wine near her mask and the liquid disappear. She must have smirked under the mask as her tone held a mischievous tint to it,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I wonder~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Tell me!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She laughed at his expression, but said no more. Instead, she eyed the boy with amusement, "So you joined the Whitebeards, huh, Fire Fist Ace. I was sure that you were going to aim for One Piece on your own as that man's son."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Ace froze, whipping his head up at her; her expression hidden from the mask and eyes hidden with those sunglasses. She merely calmly sipped her wine again as if they were having a casual conversation./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What man's son?" Ace treaded carefully; Marco and Thatch, who both knew and were the few of the crew that did, worriedly eyed him. She swirled the red liquid,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You know… The King?" There was no doubt now and Ace's hands clenched to hold back the urge to kill her to keep the secret. She must have saw the action as she simply replied, "No worries, I won't tell anyone. Just curious though."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She paused before teasing with a playful yet serious lilt, "Let's just say I have daddy issues as well~ So?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""That man's not my father. My father is Pops and he did more for me than that man ever did." Ace replied after a while, ordering more drinks to get rid of the bitter resurfacing memories. She repeated the words to herself. It was inaudible yet obvious, making Thatch grin,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Hey, if you have daddy problems, then you should join the Whitebeards!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Nah, don't feel like it."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Then you're seriously considering it, yoi?" Marco widened his eyes in surprise. Most marines were passionate about their jobs and sides — even that lazy Aokiji and Kizaru. They would never consider being pirates. The girl shrugged,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why not? You're asking seriously, right?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why can't marines be more like you?" Both Ace and Thatch bemoaned; she being the first understanding and reasonable marine they ever met in their long history as pirates./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Eh. They do as they will."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"And the party became one of storytelling and drunk madness as both pirate and marine became intoxicated and mingled under the influence./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Who is that?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk answered after getting over the shock that she actually came to his island on her own. She placed the man on the table, tearing off his shirt to clean the wound and apply an antidote to the poison. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Iron Chef Thatch. Is it not obvious?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Whitebeard thinks him dead."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Well, the old man can be wrong once in a while, can't he?" She retorted back as she worked. He sighed as he yanked the bandages and got clothes for the unconscious man. Judging by how drench he was, he must fell overboard. Or it was a stormy day and he was thrown overboard after getting that nasty cut. He recognized the mark as the same as Shanks's scar. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Teach."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Hm?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""The man who attacked him. Wolverine claws are Teach's specialty."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Sou ka." She replied after a while in thought, "Teach is called Blackbeard now. He's applying for Shichibukai."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...He is not to be trusted if he can murder a nakama."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Agreed, but it's not my decision. He may be bad luck, but I'll tolerate it as a marine."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Tsk." Mihawk clicked his tongue, having a bad feeling about all of this, "Don't die."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...I won't." Like father, like child, she had one as well./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"A few minutes later, she washed her bloodied hands and placed on her dried clothes, "I'm leaving."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""And the man?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She was welcomed anytime, but a man and a stranger was a bit too much for him./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Are you asking a girl to travel alone with a man?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Yes, his hands twitched. Having a man brought by his daughter to the home was too much for him. He decided to immediately drop him off,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Take care, Kon."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You don't even have to say."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"A week later, Mihawk found Shanks already meeting up with Whitebeard. Uncaring of the looks he received (all of them somehow seeing him rather than the man he was dragging), he walked forth through the empty path that Shanks left and tossed the unconscious Fourth Commander between them. Their eyes, formerly staring at his random presence in disbelief and surprise, now widened. Marco shouted as he ran,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Thatch!" Before sighing in relief when he felt a pulse. A vein popped at the rough treatment of his injured friend and the very question of why Mihawk had Thatch in the first place, "What did you do, Mi—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why are you in such a bad mood, Mihawk?" Shanks questioned, tilting his head at the uncharacteristic mood. Whitebeard noticed it as well; all tension sucked out at the relief that his son was alive and in curiosity at the golden-eyed man who radiated irritance. "I know how annoying it must be to deliver a half-dead person, but you didn't have to throw him… Wait!" A lecherous grin spread across the redhead's face as he shouted in realization, "If you didn't want to do this yet had to, then did /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"she—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Don't you dare say it, Shanks." Mihawk darkly glared; hand itching towards his sword. Though he had a policy against fighting handicaps, he wouldn't mind slaughtering the idiot./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""She did!" Shanks cried triumphantly at his guess being correct, "She brought a man home alone and you—"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The man was promptly silenced with a whack. Mihawk scoffed before taking his leave, seeing how his business was done. Shanks pouted, but grinned,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""There! Now you have a reason to call Ace back from chasing Teach!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Whitebeard hesitated, but agreed. Marco and the others as well, knowing that Pops's bad feelings never ended well. The phoenix watched as the nurses took Thatch in for a checkup before asking,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""So… who's this 'she' who saved Thatch?" And got Mihawk to do something that he seemed to loathe. Though no one said that. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"All stared curiously at Shanks, who laughed as he pointed out, "What's the only kind of girl that a man would feel anger at only the guy who she brings home alone?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"There was an obvious answer to that, but none of them could understand as they stared dumbly. Whitebeard, though, blinked as he had never expected it to be honest. Who would have thought that—/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Mihawk has a daughter?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"All froze, stared, gaped, and shouted. Shanks nodded as he teared at the eyes, "He does; he does~ You're lucky though. His daughter hates him to the point of denying their relationship. So even if she felt kind enough to save Thatch, she is in a position to be unable to give him back or even keep him under watch for longer than five seconds… Basically, she would have let Thatch die if she had not decided to forego her hate to send him to Mihawk and make him do all the work."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"They contemplated that. Many of them knew how hard it was to relinquish hate. And Thatch must have had a bad injury judging by the puddle of blood, height of Moby Dick, and the stormy weather that pushed him overboard to leak more blood in water. Had she been a second late in her decision, then Thatch would have really been dead. Had she not given him to Mihawk then Thatch would not only be dead but his corpse would be lost at sea./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What's her name?" Whitebeard solemnly but gratefully asked to thank her later. Shanks shook his head though. That was the limit of the information he was willing to share. The giant man inwardly sighed as he expected that as well. Marco piped up curiously,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why does she hate him? Mihawk doesn't seem to be that horrible of a father."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Shanks released his breath in one long exhalation. No one calling it a sigh with Shanks's reputation as a captain and the serious conversation about another respectable person's difficulties, "It's a long personal story. I can't tell you. However, you're right. He's not a bad father. It's just that the circumstances were too bad that it couldn't be helped. No matter what he or she says, it wasn't his fault. Yet at the same time, it'll forever be his. It's up to her to forgive him."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""That sucks." Haruta sadly commented after a long while. All of them thought the same, having their fair share of good family and friends. Mihawk, however… /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"It was heart-rending when considering how much the stoic swordsman obviously cared about her. Shanks nodded before too preparing his leave,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""My business here is done. Remember that Teach isn't one to be underestimated though, Whitebeard. You'll be making a mistake if you don't call Ace back."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The warning came too late as they all got news of Ace's capture, Blackbeard's achievement of the Shichibukai position, and Ace's relocation to Impel Down. Thatch awoke by the time the news came and shouted profanities, even crying about how it should have been him instead. None of them had any energy except to save the boy. War was prepared… and Shanks was solemn as he gritted his teeth before moving up to prepare his own./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk didn't care if anyone was looking as he grabbed his daughter, dragging her to an empty room. Luckily, for her, no one saw. And she glared at him in annoyance,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Go on vacation. You're not participating in a war, especially not a meaningless one full of pointless bloodshed."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm not going to ditch my job, /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk/spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"." She hissed. The swordsman sighing as his warning only garnered more hate and disobedience from his rebellious child. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...you'll regret it."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I won't." She confidently said. Mihawk knew that she had reason to be so after all that she suffered and all that she achieved in such few years at such young age… but she didn't know war and its ugly reality of blood, screams, and tears./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I won't let you die, Falcon." He finally said after a long hesitation because he knew that no one can be safe in such a bloody free-for-all./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Don't interfere with my fights, Mihawk. I'm my own person and responsible for my own actions."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The man made no promises as he left the teen of seventeen, walking out of the building he now hated and seeing the plaza that would soon be filled with bodies… An image of his own daughter's corpse gazing back at him flickered through his head and he growled. Damn Thatch, damn Teach, damn Whitebeard, damn Ace, damn Shanks… damn World Government and damn Kings./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Whitebeard and many of his crew recognized the Commodore as she took out many of his men before being stopped by Thatch, locked into an interesting fight between rifle and twin swords. It was so incompatible weapon-wise, but both were experienced and extremely skilled as they danced around with the goal of beating the other. Both marine higher ups and pirates and the world wondered why she didn't have a higher rank or wasn't heard of before as she fought on par with the Commander./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk wasn't allowed to be distracted as he dueled with Vista after testing Luffy, who he remembered was the kid that Shanks saved and was the captain of the green haired swordsman. He wasn't fighting at his best though. Vista not fighting at his best as well. Mihawk had his Haki attentively watching her and Vista was still grateful to the world's greatest swordsman that he had saved his brother, Thatch./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I never thought of it before, but damn you really are good, peregrine falcon girl."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"They crossed weapons; Thatch stopping her from shooting another one of his men with that gun. She didn't shoot to kill, but she was still taking out many at once. Her adaptability and reflexes and speed were amazing as she escaped both swords while reloading her gun to fire, doing acrobatics all the while to dodge the others fighting at war./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Thanks." She replied as she aimed at his head, "My name's Kon for short."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He snorted, having heard that from her many times before when they drank. "Well, Kon, why aren't you higher than a Commodore? I feel seriously weak if everyone else here is stronger than you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Those in the vicinity agreed — both marines and pirates. One Vice Admiral even worriedly gazed at the fists he used against the pirates, feeling inadequate for the job at the display of the little teenager fighting on par with a Fourth Division Commander./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No worries. I'm lazy." She simply replied, making the others almost face-fault. "And… I didn't join the marines to climb higher, defeat more pirates, or anything…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Heh, you're quite honest. But thanks!" He shouted as he swung his sword down with Haki, managing to cut a large gash in her arm, "That makes me feel better! And you better step up your game because I'm not letting Ace die!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She gasped in pain, but deflected the next hit, shooting a bullet into his abdomen. Thatch's eyes widened when it hit exactly where Teach poked a hole through him. "Y—" They were both interrupted with Luffy's shout; each allowing a break as they watched him fall from the sky and Ace shouted at his brother while his brother just ran forth to save him after challenging Whitebeard and all that other stuff. Thatch jumped when he remembered that he couldn't be distracted in a fight much less war, but turned his head only to see her look intensely at Luffy's direction./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Pretty amazing, isn't he?" Thatch casually asked while she scoffed,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""He's an idiot." After an afterthought, she shook her head, "I shouldn't be surprised actually."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why not?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""The brain uses electricity to conduct the nerves." She eyed Ace and the execution stand pitifully, "Rubber is an insulator."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Thatch blinked once then twice before roaring with laughter at the logic behind the idiocy of the Straw Hat Pirate. He had heard the stories from Ace about his crazy brother and read the news, but to think that it all had a reason. Some looked at him as if he went crazy himself as he couldn't help but laugh even in the time of war. Kon shook her head,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""It's not funny. More sad." That was her opinion until she saw how Luffy fought and avoided Mihawk and then giggled herself. "Maybe a little…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You know… if you weren't a marine, then I think we would have been best friends."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Well, you have Ace so being a marine's alright with me~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Right. I can't just be stopped here because of you. I have to save Ace."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...if you can."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She replied as they fought once again. There was a time when the wall came up and the meteors came down, but it mattered not to her as she dodged them, not letting Thatch move on. The chef grew frustrated that he couldn't help, being bogged down by a little teenager no matter how respectably strong. Then, he saw it. She saw it as well. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Luffy saved Ace./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"It was a bit tearful and with Haki she could sense the emotions of everyone as she had from the beginning of war. Her Haki was abnormally strong — advanced beyond the others, giving her abilities of great perception. They awakened when she watched her mother kill herself and Kon gave her mother the credit of giving her this supernatural ability to sense the emotions of all things, to see the future of a few seconds later and then be helpless to stop it./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Shodai Kitetsu rattled against her back and she grabbed her head (unnoticed to everyone who watched Luffy and Ace) in pain at the flashing images. Her eyes widened when she saw Ace sacrifice himself for his brother… and then the blood carnage as everyone angrily, but meaninglessly killed each other to no end. Bile filled her throat at the raw ugly emotions and she realized… she could not fight against the pirates. They were fighting for justice, for family, and for love. It was so obvious that she didn't see it… or rather she ignored it until now out of her own hatred./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Kon made no move to stop Thatch as he unconsciously forgot about her and ran towards the brothers. Instead, she stared at the massacre in her mind and took a deep breath of reality. It was polluted and dirty and hot./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Her eyes were open and the sunglasses she used to blind herself no longer worked or even mattered. She walked towards her final destination./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Then another prediction came to her. It was of her dying instead, sacrificing herself for the brothers. Instead of war, there was massacre. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She didn't like Mihawk's face as he killed./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Another shaky breath escaped her as she continued walking. She couldn't save them then. It was either war or massacre. He dies or she dies. How how how… /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"("I won't let you die.")/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The words now filled her with warmth, hope, and a familial emotion that she had always ignored and had always been crushed by her mind to anguish. Now, she could feel it and she softly laughed at the second prediction of her dying. It was silly. It wasn't real… because they were…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Save me, father."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Her whisper probably went unheard among the canons and shouts and screams and fights, but she ran just as soon as she saw Luffy reach for that accursed Vivre card. She ran across one kilometer in five seconds; the Justice coat flying off of her in the pure speed as she made it just enough time to block Ace. Her golden eyes watched as Akainu's magma fist plunge down, just inches from her chest./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"They closed. It was too late. Nothing could save her… and then she heard the heavens and earth rip./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Say… we both aren't even trying." Vista murmured in amusement, "Can't you just let me go? I'm sure you wouldn't mind seeing a sweet, touching family reunion."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Duty calls." Mihawk simply replied, a bit annoyed at being reminded of his own. The other swordsman laughed,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm sure you care nothing about that. The whole world was surprised when you accepted the Shichibukai offer. Almost seven years passed and you still did as you always did before and never showed your reason for joining. I mean, what do they have that you didn't before?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk didn't answer for the sake of his foolish daughter. He didn't have to as Vista gasped at the sight of Akainu about to kill Ace. The world's greatest swordsman only watched the sight with indifferent eyes until he swore he heard…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Rage filled him as he grabbed Kokuto Yoru and swung down regardless of the consequences or people in the way. He disregarded when everyone whipped their heads around to confirm with shock and disbelief that he was the one to cut that filthy arm off as well as create a Whitebeard-earthquake-worthy crack in the ground. He only walked forth, ignoring Vista as he growled, which made almost everyone jump at the murderous, uncharacteristic sound from the normally calm, uncaring, /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"silent /spanspan style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"swordsman,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'll fucking kill you if you touch my daughter!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"They all ignored the fact that he cursed for the more surprising fact that—/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""WHAT?! Mihawk has a daughter?!" Everyone not the Whitebeard Pirates shouted. But even then, the Whitebeard Pirates were surprised when they took it to context to realize that the girl wearing the mask was his daughter. Thatch stared, absently feeling his bleeding wound. His guess was right. She knew where he had been stabbed by Blackbeard because she was the one that saved him. He felt bad now for slashing up her arm, but he also felt wonder. He hadn't expect the renowned swordsman's daughter to use a rifle of all things./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk turned to her this time, glaring, "And you! That's not how you save a person!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She scoffed to the side, "Well sorry for not having enough time to cut a man's arm off like you." She twirled her rifle for great measure before slowly, almost reluctantly asking, "I was wrong. Forgive me and I'll forgive you… father…?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"While the others may not understand the deeper meaning behind her words and still find it amazingly touching, the Whitebeard Pirates had heard Shanks's words and widened her eyes at her question and admittance that he was her father at the same time. They remembered Falcon in the bar asking them about family, having 'daddy issues' herself. They remembered Shanks saying about how she denied all relations and avoided him at all costs. It made sense that she was his daughter now that they thought about it. Where else better to hide from a pirate than in the marines?/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk stood, for once, in shock. He had saved her so quickly that he forgot what she had called him. To hear it again… was… Quickly, he tilted his hat down to hide the warm blush on his face — but those with quick eyes caught it and grinned. The swordsman nodded, smiling,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Of course." Then, he perked up, "Then, you're leaving the marines?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I joined to avoid you." She replied, taking off her bird mask; the feathers rustled and sunglasses slid off, revealing a face startling similar to Mihawk's except more feminine and beautiful. Her golden eyes were softer and hair was longer, but she held the same refined, composed aura as he, "Now, I have no more reason for staying."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Then I as well." Mihawk simply replied with a smirk. Sengoku growled inwardly as he spoke with the speaker,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Am I to understand that you two are resigning?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Yes." They too answered with similar deadpans at the repetitive question, making their relation all the more clear. Sengoku cursed. Two of his side's strongest were leaving and Ace was already free — they were going to lose, weren't they? No… if he could just get the girl…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Ah, Kon, use a sword." His smirk grew, "You really are bad with rifles."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Jerk." She snarled at the insult but swung the rifle across her shoulder, where she placed the mask on (still keeping it in her presence). From underneath the feathers, she took out a beautiful black blade which all recognized to be the famous cursed sword, Shodai Kitetsu. The sword thrummed with eager bloodthirstiness from long inactivity once breathing the air. All with Haki could sense it and felt shivers at the dangerous blade. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Thatch gaped as he had been fighting someone who wasn't even using her native weapon! And she still tied with him! Doflamingo hummed at the sight. It was fascinating to learn that the girl he was interested in was Mihawk's daughter and then to see that she hid something under the feathers. He should do that~ Sengoku felt doomed. There was no doubt that he could not do anything to her now. Kon smirked as she turned to the two behind them,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Weren't you guys running away? Hurry up. The Dracule family will temporarily help."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Ace growled at the thought, but didn't want to lose his brother or nearly die again. Grabbing Luffy, he forced the rubber idiot up and ran, giving a gruff,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Thanks."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"And the war continued. Mihawk shook his head, "Dragging me into your impulses… Kids, these days."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You did the same for me, dad." She said as she pulled Kitetsu out of his sheath and slashed diagonally with Mihawk to make an X. The smoky clouds once again split apart for them both. Her cut not as strong as Mihawk's, but approaching to be, making everyone afraid for the day when she would be at her prime and as strong as her father. A smile tugged at her lips at their first combined sword attack as she playfully declared, "We're not trying to kill any of you. Surrender and let the pirates go~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No." Akainu growled as he got up from the ground, spreading his lava about to melt the father-daughter duo. Mihawk however slashed it to bits, replying,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Never have I dragged you into war. If we're doing this, however, no Admirals for you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She pouted, but agreed. They were out of her level. Kon prepared herself to aid the evacuation of pirates, "Stay safe, dad."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"A smile tugged his lips. It was the first time someone told him those two words in a long time, "Of course."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...thanks."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No, thank you." He whispered as he watched her leave out of the corner of his eye before working with more motivation to block off the admiral from interfering with his daughter's goal. He was forgiven. He was loved. He was a father. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"That was all he needed to survive the world./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The doctors made hard work of treating everyone after the war ended quite one-sidedly. Kon read with amusement an article analyzing all the fights and faults in the war and then another article introducing a theory that she was the turning point of it. Mihawk read with her; the two being avoided by the others on the Moby Dick Junior. Everyone had saw their strength and everyone by now had a gist of their past and felt that the two needed alone time together. Then, Kon grinned as she saw bounty posters,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Not a bad picture." She held it up with pride. Damn the mask really looked good on her shoulder. "Or bounty." She added at the number. Mihawk arched a brow at his own,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""900 billion, huh. They increased it by 100."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The pirates stumbled at the high number. The girl grinning, "My debut's worth 600 billion!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Ace yelled, "That's not fair!" He ran from the infirmary to look at her poster, "Seriously? You're first crime is worth more than mine's after all my deeds?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No worries," Mihawk handed him a poster, "Your bounty updated."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Ace grinned at the high number, "Whoa. This is like Dragon worthy." But he fell in depression, mumbling quite audibly, "But I bet half of this goes to that man's name."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Right?" Kon shouted in agreement, "I bet half of this goes to dad's name as well! Urgh… I need more training. I was just a Commodore…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Iya, iya." Thatch, Ace, and many others deadpanned at her sudden lack of confidence. If she could cause that much destruction on the battlefield of Marineford, then she had nothing to worry about. Shodai gleamed with agreement under its bask in the sun. Mihawk ruffled her hair,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""They're right. And if you ever need help, then just ask me."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Or me." Thatch said, "You saved my life. Though you shot me in the war…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She snorted, "And you cut… me…" She silenced at Mihawk's increasing ire at the reminder. Thatch wisely ran away and hid behind his own amused father. Whitebeard watched with amusement as his children mingled with the Dracule kid; her father watching protectively like a father hawk. She had always fascinated him from first sight with her lack of prejudice against pirates when they met her as a marine to her skill with gun-fighting in the war to now. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Oi! Mihawk!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"They looked up to see Shanks; his ship docked next to theirs and the redhead glomped the teen,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Wah! So you're the famous daughter!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""And you're the famous friend~" Kon replied back, recognizing the pirate from a long time ago. Master was great for seeing many different people and learning blackmail on them./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""That I am!" His eyes trailed to the mask quizzically, "You're still keeping that thing? I get that it's pretty and all, but isn't that…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The others perked in curiosity about the mask and she fingered a feather with a soft smile, "It's a part of my past and identity. What happened back then may be horrible, but it was what led me to you and my dad and that's what makes it beautiful and worth keeping."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""...you're so cute!" Shanks said after a moment of awed silence, glomping her again. Mihawk glared in annoyance at his friend, having wanted to hug her as well for the words. So the past was accepted and the world moved on./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Dark King Rayleigh!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Many shouted at the sight of the old man swimming towards their ship and getting up to dry. Even Whitebeard was impressed by how the old man can still swim in the sea of the New World./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Oh, Whitebeard, Shanks, Mihawk — what familiar faces~ And you're his daughter, I presume."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She nodded politely, shaking his hand, "My name is Dracule Falcon. Kon for short."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""And I'm Silvers Rayleigh~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"And once that was over, he began talking about training Luffy. Rayleigh turned to Mihawk, "You should go back to your home. You'll find a swordsman there."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Mihawk twitched, having wanted some alone time at home with his daughter. She grinned,/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Roronoa Zoro, huh~ I don't mind; he can be my training partner!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""If he does something…"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Oi, oi, I think that'd defeat the purpose of a training partner." Shanks interrupted with a laugh./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"…/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Kyaaa, you're so cute~ So you're his daughter?! I never knew you had a daughter~ Oh, let's be friends!" Perona kept talking in excitement as she floated around the girl. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Zoro gave her a glance; eyes examining her with interest. He recognized the sword tied on her shoulder next to her rifle as well; the sword on his waist thrumming with resonance./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You. Fight me."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Ehhh~ Now? Wait until you're all healed~ Otherwise, it'd be an easy win for me~"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Though she was younger and a girl, Zoro could sense that she had the power to back up her words, Shodai being silent on her shoulder. Mihawk merely walked into his house, expecting no fight and he knew that she would be alright./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"span style="font-size:16px;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"After all, they were together and they had all the time in the world to stay as family./span/p 


End file.
